Prewelt shaping machine



June 11, 1935.

C. G. DEUBEL PREWELT SHAPING MACHINE Filed March 29, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 U 071 6227266 a2?! ga ged e June 1 l, 1935. c. G. DEUBEL PREWELT SHAPING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Marbh 29, 1935 Patented June 11, 1935 UNITED STATES 2,004,195 PREWELT SHAPING MACHINE Carl George Deubel, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to Progressive Service Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Application March29, 1933, Serial No. 663,314

21 Claims.

tacking, tack pulling, welt beating and sole lay Another object of the invention is to provide an improved pre-welt shaping machine for shap ing a pre-welt shoe upper on and about a last with much greater nicety and. precision than is possible by use of plates or similar elements to engage the shoe upper immediately adjacent to the welt in order to press and shape the shoe upper on and about the last. The plates and similar element are substantially inflexible in the plane in which they apply pressure, so that any.

25 thickened or folded or creased portions of the shoe upper engaged by the pressure edges of the plates or similar elements, or that become engaged between the plates or similar elements, are

likely to be cut, punctured or torn, 'or otherwise 30 damaged, when said plates or similar elements are operated to apply pressure to and against the shoe upper to shape the same on and about the last.

Another object of the invention is to" provide flexible members for shaping the toe and heel por- 35. tions or a pre-welt shoe upper on and about a shoe last in order to avoid cutting, puncturing and tearing the shoe upper or subjecting any portions thereof to undue strains and stresses and to provide additional means for shaping the side por- 40 tions of the shoe upper in conformity withthe last.

While the pre-welt shoe upper is held on and about the last, a cork or other composition insert is applied to coverthe exposed surface of thelast and to fill the space enclosed within the marginal portion of the shoe upper and welt. Next, and without the necessity of withdrawing tacks or other similar operations and without delayed operations such as are required by old methods, the sole is applied and adhesively secured to the welt and the filler. By this invention, I am enshoe in which the upper was tacked to the last, it necessary to keep the shoe upper on the last for several hours after the filler hadbeen applied and before the remaining finishing operations could be performed. i H

Other objects of the invention should be readily apparent from the following description, reference being made to the annexed drawings, in Whicha Fig. 1 is a perspective view, with the pedestal or supporting frame broken away, showing my improved pre-welt shaping machine with a shoe mounted therein ready to be shaped on and about the last.

Fig. 2 is a similar perspective view, the shoe being omitted.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the pivoted supports for the side shaping members and the devices for accommodating the machine to. support and shape shoes of different sizes.

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing the connections for operating the side shaping members.

Fig. Sis a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. .3.

. Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the device for adjusting the last pin in position to support selected sizes of lasts.

Fig. .7 is a plan view of. the gage device that cooperates with the last pin. i The machine comprises. a rigid upright member I having a frame attached to its upper end. In the embodiment of the inventionillustrated, the frame that is attached'to the upper end of the upright member I comprises two side memhere 2 and 3 and a socket member 4 rigidly connecting said side members 2 and 3. This socket member 4 receives the upwardly extended part 5 rigid with the member I. A clamping set screw 6 is screwed into a holein the socket member 4 and clamps against the upwardlyextended part 5 and constitutes means for holding the frame 2 in rigid location on the upper end of the member I. This set screw 6 may be loosened or removed to permit removal of the frame 2--3 in order to facilitate and-expedite the making of repairs on any of the parts and also the substitution of other or different frames in the place of the frame that is removed.

Further, the side members 2 3 of this frame, which are spaced apart, are shown as connected at their ends with rigid connecting members 1. Downwardly and outwardly inclined supports 8 are mounted in the connecting members 1. Blocks 9 are mounted adjacent to the inner upper ends of the supports 8 and seat upon the upwardly converging surfaces of the socket members and are guided between and held from lateral displacement by the frame members 2 and 3.

The inner upper end portion of each of the supports 8 is formed with a circumferential groove Hi. A yoke is engaged in each of the grooves H3. As shown, each of said yokes comprises a pair of blocks H having matching edges and also having rounded notches intermediate of their ends. The lower blocks H slide along the inclined upper surfaces of the socket member 4 and the upper blocks are seated on the lower blocks. Screws !3 pass through the blocks It.

also having longitudinal slot, is attached to the 7 frame members 2 and 3 by removable and replaceable screws i5 and constitutes a guide for the upper sides of the blocks 9 and H. Since the blocks H engage in the grooves Is, it is clear that said'blocks I! cannot move longitudinally along the supportsfi but that said supports 8 are free torotate with respect to said blocks H. Since the blocks i! are attached to the blocks 9 by the'screws It, said blocks 9 will be moved along with the blocks ii and. the supports 8 are free to turn in said blocks Si. The supports 3 are threaded and are screwed in threadedholes in the connections T and are equipped on their outerends with handles 8 whereby said supports may be turned in either direction and therebymoved longitudinally in order to move the blocks 9 upwardly or downwardly along the inclined surfaces of the upper side of the connecting socket 4,

A last pin It is removably screwed into and extends vertically from the block 9 that is under the gage plate M and is adapted to be extended into the usual last socket in order to support the last in position for operation of this machine. The blocks at the gage plate Hi has a pointer cooperating with said gage to facilitate adjustment of the last pin for lasts of dillerent sizes.

A supporting pin i'l extends vertically from the other block 9 and has mounted on its upper end an elastic pad l3 constituting a support for the toe portion of the shoe upper that is mounted on the last and which last is mounted on the upper end of the last pin 16.

An'angular lever I9 is mounted between lugs 23 formed rigid with the frame member 2 and has rigid with its upper end spaced arms 2 i. A shaping plate 22, having its inner edge 23 appropriately formed and shaped and curved in conformity with the shape which is to be given to that part of the lower portion of the pro-welt shoe upper extending forwardly from the forward part of the heel portion of the shoe upper at one side of the shoe, is attached to the arms 2!. This should be understood by reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings considered in connection with well known facts. 24 is mounted 'on the last pin l6 and a pre-welt shoe upper 25 is mounted on and about said last and has the welt 25 attached thereto. This welt 26 is attached to the upper before the upper is placed on the last. StitchesZ'i constitute appropriate attaching means for attaching the welt 26 to the shoe upper 25. As shown, and as is well known, the lower portion of theshoe upper including the welt 26 must be curved inwardly at the sides of the shoe upper from the heel portion of the shoe upper and thence-outwardly.

As shown in Fig. l, the last The edge 23 of the plate 22 is appropriately shaped and formed to shape one side of this pre-welt shoe upper in conformity with this requirement. However, this plate 22 does not engage the shoe upper at any point rearvvardly beyond the beginning of the curvature of the heel portion of the upper from one side to the other. Nor does this plate 22 engage the shoe upper at any point beyond the beginning of the curvature of the shoe upper from one side to the other thereof.

The plate 22 is attached to the upper ends of the arms 2i by removable and replaceable fastener screws 28. This easily permits removal of a platei22 designed and intended for shaping shoes of one size, or. of approximately the same 7 size, or within a range of sizes, and the substituti on therefor of another plate for different styles or sizes of shoes.-

An angular lever 29, similar to the angular lever i9, is mounted between spaced lugs 38 rigid with the frame member 3 and has upwardly extended arms 3!. A shaping plate 32, having its inner edge 33 appropriately formed and shaped and curved in conformity with the shape which is to be given to that part of the lower portionof the pre-welt shoe upper extending forwardly from the forward partof the' heel portion of the shoe upper at one side of the shoe, is attached to the arms 3 E a This should be understood by reference to Fig. l of the drawings considered in connection with the well known facts, as indicated in the preceding description in respect of the plate 22.

Like the plate 22, the plate 32 does not engage the shoe upper at any po nt beyond the beginning of the curvature of the shoe upper from one side to the other either at the heel portion or at the toe portion of the shoe portion. This plate 32' is attached to the upper ends of the arms 3 l by removable and replaceable screw fasteners 35. This easily permits removal of a plate 32 designed and intended for, shaping shoes of one sizepor of approximately the same size, or within a range of sizes, and the substitution therefor of another plate for different styles or sizes of shoes.

The lever 29 is pivoted on a pivot 35 supported by the lugs 30 and the lever I9 is pivoted on a similar pivot supported by the lugs 26. These pivots are'easily removable and replaceable in order to permitremoval and replacement of the levers l9 and 29.

A lever 35 has one end mounted on'a pivot 3'! attached to a supporting bracket 38. The supporting bracket 38 is secured to the member 5' by a 39. A bracket 49 rigid with the member I is also at- V removable and replaceable fastener tached to the bracket 38 by a removable and re placeable fastener M. A vertical slot -52 in the bracket 38 opens into a vertical channel .3 in the member I. A block 44 is mounted for vertical sliding movements in the slots 42 and 43 and sup ports a pivot 45 in the lever One end of a link 4'! is pivoted to the pivot 45 and the other end of said link 4? is connected with the lower end of the angular lever 29 by a pivot 48. A link 49 has one end connected by a pivot 55 with the block and the opposite end connected by a pivot 5i with the lower end of the angular lever 59. arcuate rack 52 is concentric with the axis of the pivot 3'! and is formed on the bracket 33. A pawl 53, pivoted on the lever 35, is actuated into engagement with the rack 52 by a spring An extension 55 in connection with the pawl 53 constitutes means whereby said pawl 53 may easily be operated out of engagement with the rack 52.

It isnow clear thata handle 56, in connection with the free end of the lever 36, constitutes manually engageable means whereby said lever '41 and All that are pivotedto said block. This shaping plates 22 and 32 in the position shown in Fig. 1.

To release the shapingplates 22 and 32 from shaping position, it islonly necessary to engage and operate the extension 55in opposition to the pressure of the spring 54. When the pawl 53 is moved out of engagement with the rack 52, the lever 35 may be swung downwardly, thereby moving the links 41 and 49 and operating the angular levers ii and 29. l

An angular lever, comprising a downwardly extended arm i and an upwardly extended arm 58', is mounted on a removable and. replaceable pivot 59 supported by one end of the frame 2-3. A bracket GE! is attached to the upper end of the upwardly extended arm 58 by a removable and're place'able fastener 6| and has attached thereto in spaced relationship the ends of a flexible shaping member 62, which may be a metallicwire.

An angular lever, consisting of an outwardly extended arm 63 and an upwardly extended arm 6%, is mounted on a'removable and replaceable pivot E5 at the opposite end of the frame 2-3 from the pivot 59. A bracket 66 is attached to the upper end of theupwardly extended arm 54 by a removable and replaceable fastener 57, and the ends ofa flexibleshaping member 88 are attached thereto in spaced relationship,

The closed ends of the loop-like flexible shaping members 62. and 58 are adjacentto theupwardly extended lever arms 64 and 58, respectively, and the side portions of said. loop-like "shaping members and 63 extend below the shaping members Zitand 32.

This arrangement permits the easy mounting on the last pin l6 of the last 24 having thereonthe pre welt shoe upper 25 with the welt 26 attached thereto. When so applied, the toe portion of the shoe upper rests on the pad !8, so that the last on which the shoe upper is mounted is substantially rigid.

Flexible connections 69, including turn-buckle devices it! in connection therewith, have their upper ends connected with clips H mounted on pivots l2 supported by the outer ends of the lever arms 5'! and 53, respectively. These turn-buckle devices function in the usual way and are operative to shorten or extend the combined length of the connected parts of the flexible connections fill. These flexible connections 59 extenddownwardly and inwardly against rollers 13 mounted on axle members M supported'by abracket 75 attached to the upright member I.

The upright member l is rigid with a base .16 which may be secured to any suitable support. In the arrangement shown, the base '16 is seated on a supporting table or plate '11 mounted on the upper end of a supporting frame 18. The base 16' and table T? are attached to the upper end of the supporting frame 18 byremovable and replaceable fasteners 19. i l

l i The frame 8 may be a hollow frame, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.. The flexible connections '69 extenddownwardly through slots 80. in the base 16 and table H and thence downwardly into the hollow frame 18 and have their. lower ends attached to. a cross head 2| enclosed within the frame 18. The cross head 8| is pivoted to'a lever 82 having one end mounted on a pivot 83 within 8% in connection withits outer end, whereby said lever 82-may be easily operated downwardly as required to operate the connections 59 and the leverswith which said connections cooperate. V Springs 85 engage the pivots 5a and $5 and thepivots i2 and operate bytheir resiliency to raise the outer ends of the lever arms 57 and '63 when the operator releases the lever 82. Raising of the lever arms 52 and 63 moves the lever arms 58 and 64 inwardly toward each other and thus release the flexible shaping devices 52 and 68 from tight engagement with the pro-welt shoe upper. V i Inoperation of this machine, the last 24, having thereon the pre-welt shoe upper 25 with the welt 26 attached thereto, is mounted on the last pin IS, the toe portion ofthe last and the shoe upper thereon extending .over the pad 18 upon which the toe portionaof the shoe upper seats. After the Ishoe has been properly applied in this way, the handle 55: is engaged and'moved upwardly, thereby operating the lever .36 and moving the shaping plates 22 and 32 inwardly to engage the adjacent'portion of the shoe upper at oppjosite sides of the last24. The welt 2% extends above the shaping. plates 22' and '32. and said plates do not engage the shoeiupper or the welt beyond thebeginning of the. curved, portions thereof at the heel or .toe of the shoe upper. This operation of these shaping devices 22 and ESZ properly shapesthe twoside portions of the shoe upper and said shaping devices will be held in "effective ,position by the pawl 53 engaging the.

shoe upper immediately adjacent to the welt 25 and to shape and hold the shoe upper in proper form and shape. 7

Then, the. cork orother filler is placed in a plastic condition within the space surrounded by the welt 26 and smoothed. A suificient time after the filler composition has been placed within the space surrounded by the welt 26- and smoothed, the shoe sole is adhesively united to said filler and to the welt. Thismay be effected by placing a coating of glue, adhesiveceinent, or

other binding adhesive substance, on the ex posedisurface of the filler and the welt and then placing the sole in proper position thereon. After tains all of its intended objects and purposes and functions in a highly efficient manner to produce a nicer and better finished shoe than is possible by the use of machines subject to any of the objections indicated in this specification or other objections. The shoe is not damaged, cut, punctured, or torn in any way by this machine, but is shaped with greater precision and rapidity than is possible by other machines or by manual operations. day in the manufacture of pre-welt shoes in compariscn with manual methods of shaping.

This machine may be varied within the full scope of equivalent limits without departure from the nature and'principle thereof. I contemplate such variations as may be desired to adapt the invention toall of the uses for which it is intended or other uses which may hereafter become known, and do not restrict myself in these particulars.

I claim: V 7

l. A pre-welt shaping machine comprising a support for a pre-welt shoe upper, shaping memi bers for the side portions of the shoe upper at the welt, mechanism for operating said shaping members to shape the side portions of the shoe upper at the welt, and flexible shaping means for shaping the curved end portions of the shoe upper at the Welt between the portions of the shoe upper that are shaped by said shaping members.

2. A pre-weit shaping machine comprising supporting means for a pre-welt. shoe upper, shaping members operative to shape the curved side portions of the'shoeupper at the Welt and terminating short of the front and rear curved portions of the shoeupper, flexible shaping devices operative to engage and shape the curved end portions of the shoe upper at the welt, and means for operating said shaping members and said. shaping devices respectively.

3. A pre-welt shaping machine comprising a support for a pre-Welt shoe upper, flexible shaping devices for shaping the curved end portions of the shoe upper at the welt, and substantially inflexible shaping members operative between said shaping devices and the welt to shape the inwardly curv-d side portions of the shoe upper.

4. A pre-welt shaping machine comprising a last pin for engaging and supporting a last having thereon a pre-welt shoe upper, an element for supporting the toe portion of the shoe upper and the last, means for adjusting and holding said last pin and said element in position to support lasts and shoe uppers of different sizes, flexible shaping devices for shaping the curved end portions of the shoe upper at the welt, and substantially inflexible shaping members for engaging and shaping the side portions of the shoe upper between said shaping devices and said welt.

5. A pro-welt shaping machine comprising a last pin for engaging and supporting a last having thereon a pro-welt shoe upper, an element for supporting the toe portion of the shoe upper and the last, means for adjusting and holding said last pin and said element in position to support lasts and shoe uppers of different sizes, flexible shaping devices for shaping the curved end portions of the shoe upper at the welt, substantially inflexible shaping members for engaging and shaping the side portions of the shoe upper between said shaping devices and said welt, mechanism for operating said flexible shaping devices, and other means for operating said shaping members.

6. .A pre-welt shaping machine ,eomprisin This eliminates and saves about one flexible shaping devices for shaping the end portions of a pre-welt shoe upper at the welt simultaneously, and substantially inflexible shaping members operative to engage and shape the inwardly curved side portions of the shoe upper at the welt "between said shaping devices and said Welt.

'7. A pre-welt shaping machine comprising supporting means for a pre-welt shoe upper, shaping members having curved inner edges operative at the sides of the shoe upper to shape and substantially inflexible shaping members operative to engage and shape the inwardly curved side portions of the shoe upper at the welt.

9. A pre-welt shaping machine comprising a pair of spaced levers, means for supporting a prewelt shoe upper between said levers, a flexible loop device having its ends attached to each lever and having its intermediate curved portion adapted to engage and shape the curved end portions of the shoe upper at the welt opposite from said lever, and mechanism for operating said levers.

10. A pre-welt shaping machine comprising a support for a pre-welt shoe upper, flexible shaping devices having curved portions for simultaneously engaging and shaping the curved end por-' tions, of the shoe upper at the welt, and plates having curved edges adapted to engage and shape the curved side portions of the shoe upper at the welt. I

11. A pro-welt shaping machine comprising a support for a pre-welt shoe upper, flexible shaping devices having curved portions for simultaneously engaging and shaping the curved end portions of the shoe upper at the welt, plates having curved edges adapted to, engage and shape the curved side portions of the shoe upper at the welt, a system of levers for operating said shaping devices, and manual mechanism other than said levers for operating said plates. 7

12. A pre-welt shaping machine comprising inflexible members for engaging and shaping the curved side portions of a pro-welt shoe upper mounted on a last, flexible loops curving around and simultaneously engaging the curved end portions of said shoe upper, mechanism for operating said inflexible members to engage and shape said side portions of said shoe upper at the welt between said loops and the welt,.means for holding said mechanism in its operated position, and mechanism for operating said loops.

13. A pre-welt shaping machine comprising inflexible members for engaging and shaping the mechanism for operating said loops, and means for supporting pre-Welt shoe uppers of different sizes in position for shaping operations of said members and said loops.

14. A pre-welt shaping machine comprising a support for supporting a last having thereon a. pre-welt shoe upper in position in which the welt and the sole of the last are exposed upwardly, flexible loop devices having curved portions engaging and simultaneously shaping the curved end portions of the shoe upper at the welt, inflexible shaping members for engaging and shaping the curved side portions of the shoe upper at the welt, mechanism for operating said members to engage and shape the side portions of the shoe upper at thelwelt, and other mechanism for operating said devices to shape the curved end portions of the shoe upper at the welt.

15. A pre-welt shaping machine comprising a support for supporting a last having thereon a pro-welt shoe upper in position in which the welt and the sole of the last are exposed upwardly, a lever pivotally' supported beyond one end of the shoe upper and last mounted on said support, a flexible loop device adapted to extend along the sides and engage the curved end of the shoe upper adjacent to the welt opposite from said lever, and mechanism for operating said lever to tighten said loop against the shoe upper and thereby shape the shoe upper at the welt in conformity with said last.

16. A pre-welt shaping machine comprising a support for supporting a last having thereon a re-welt shoe upperin position in which the welt and the sole of the last are exposed upwardly, a lever pivotally supported beyond one end of the shoe upper and last mounted on said support, a flexible loop device adapted to extend along the sides and engage the curved end of the shoe upper adjacent to the Welt opposite from said lever, mechanism foroperating said lever to tighten said loop against the shoe upper and thereby shape the shoe upper at the welt in conformity with said last, an additional loop operative to engage and shape the opposite end of the shoe upper at the welt, and connections for operating said additional loop simultaneously with said first loop. 7

17. A pre-welt shaping machine comprising a support for supporting a last having thereon a pre-welt shoe upper in position in which the welt and the sole of the last are exposed upwardly, a lever pivotally supported beyond one end of the shoe upper and last mounted on said support, a flexible loop device adapted to extend along the sides and engage the curved end of the shoe upper adjacent to the welt opposite from said lever, mechanism for operating said lever to tighten said loop against the shoe upper and thereby shape the shoe upper at the welt in conformity with said last, plates having curved edges operative to engage and shape the side portions of the shoe upper at the welt in conformity with the curvature of the last, and mechanism for operating said plates to engage said plates with the shoe upper at the welt between said loop and the welt.

18. A pre-welt shaping machine comprising means for supporting lasts of different sizes having thereon pre-welt shoe uppers of different sizes with welts in connection therewith, loops for engaging the opposite curved ends of the shoe uppers on said lasts, mechanism for operating said loops simultaneously to engage and shape the curved end portions of the shoe uppers at the welts, and means for releasing said loops.

19. A pre-welt shaping machine comprising means for supporting lasts of different sizes having thereon pre-welt shoe uppers of different sizes with welts in connection therewith, loops for en-. gaging the opposite curved ends of the shoe uppers on said lasts, mechanism for operating said loops simultaneously to engage and shape the curved end portions of the shoe uppers at the welts, plates.

at the welt, mechanism for simultaneously operating said devices, a pair of substantially inflexible shaping members operative to engage and shape the inwardly curved side portions of the shoe upper at the welt, and a lever connected with said pair of shaping members for operating the same. a

21. A pre-welt shaping machine comprising a support for a pre-welt shoe upper, flexible shap- 'ing devices having curved portions for simultaneously engaging and shaping opposite curved end portions of the shoe upper at the welt, plates having curved edges adapted to engage and shape the curved side portions of the shoe upper at the welt, a lever, and connections from said lever for operating said plates.

CARL GEORGE DEUBEL. 

